Incline Village
On the north shore of Lake Tahoe, this former logging town sits at the base of the precipitous Sierra Nevada Mountains. Skiers find family- and budget-friendly lifts at Diamond Peak Ski Area, while gamblers enjoy 24-hour access to casinos. Sand Harbor Beach offers water-sport access to Lake Tahoe and hosts the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in summer. Two golf courses hug the mountainous terrain.
Kings Beach
Visitors like North Lake Tahoe’s Kings Beach for its low-key attitude and 700 feet of south-facing lakefront. Kings Beach State Recreation Area contains one of Tahoe’s finest beaches; watersports include Jet Skiing, parasailing, and kayaking. Nearby, Coon Street Boat Launch offers a popular dog beach. Skiers find family- and budget-friendly lifts at Diamond Peak Ski Area at Incline Village.
Northstar
Northstar-at-Tahoe mountain resort attracts vacationers looking for relaxed fun in the sun and snow. Visitors gather at The Village Plaza to shop, eat, ice skate, and listen to live music. The adjacent Big Springs Express gondola whisks skiers to 2,490 skiable acres. From Mt. Pluto, skiers can see Lake Tahoe’s clear, blue waters. Summer action includes tennis, hiking, fly-fishing, and golfing.
Olympic Valley
Olympic Valley instantly became famous as host of the 1960 Winter Olympic Games at Squaw Valley Ski Area. Squaw Valley draws elite skiers and snowboarders to its challenging slopes. A cable car ascends to High Camp complex at an elevation of 8,200 feet, where views of blue Lake Tahoe may distract visitors from the swimming pool, ice skating rink, and Olympics museum.
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe treats vacationers to majestic views of the lake’s vivid blue waters and the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Attractions on the California-Nevada border include the popular and immense Heavenly Lake Tahoe ski area and nearby casinos. To the west, summer visitors to Emerald Bay State Park can tour Vikingsholm Castle, built in 1929, and boat to the lake’s only island, Fannette Island.
Tahoe City
This North Lake Tahoe community is an outdoor-lover’s paradise. Several ski areas in the immediate area include Alpine Meadows Ski Area and Granlibakken Ski Area, which offers a popular sled park. The lake’s only outlet, the Truckee River, starts here and offers rafting and adjacent recreation trails. In town, Commons Beach hosts summer concerts, movies, and Fourth of July firework displays.
Tahoe Vista
Tahoe Vista in North Lake Tahoe is popular with outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy the area’s beaches and North Tahoe Regional Park. The park includes five lighted tennis courts, a snow play area for sledding, an 18-“hole” disc golf course, and hiking and biking trails through fir and pine forests. Boaters frequent the marina at sunny Carnelian Bay, which has beaches popular with kayakers and swimmers.
Truckee
The 1840’s gold rush drew thousands of emigrants through this mountain town along the Truckee River. Donner Memorial State Park commemorates these pioneers, including the snowbound Donner Party who overwintered here. Outdoor adventures include rafting, skiing, boating, fishing, waterskiing, and hiking. The Reno- Tahoe International Airport is nearby, as are the clear, blue waters of Lake Tahoe.
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